Treatment apparatus



Sept. 25, 1945. 4 A. BURTON v TREATMENT APPARATUS :5 Sheets-Sheet, 1

Filed March 10, 1943 Sept. 25, 1945.

A. BURTON TREATMENT APPARATUS Filed March 10, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Barlozz IN V EN TOR Sept Z5, 1945 A. BURTON TREATMENT APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 10, 1943 INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 25, 1945 UNITED STATES QJ'PATENT orncs Augustus Burton, Dallas, Tex.

Application March 10, 1943, Serial No. 478,723

1 Claim.

This invention relates to treatment apparatus and is designed primarily for use in treating persons having high blood pressure. 7

It is a fact long recognized that persons living in high altitudes are afforded considerable relief from high blood pressure which is not attainable in localities nearer sea level. The same beneficial effects are found in all cases involving the circulatory system, such as poor circulation.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which can be utilized for the purpose of maintaining a patient for any desired period of time under atmospheric conditions which will tend to relieve the ailment mentioned.

A further object is to provide an apparatus I which can be installed readily as part of the equipment of a physician, can be manufactured at low cost, which is free from complicated mechanisms, and can be easily manipulated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the inventionconsists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of the apparatus, the carriage portion thereof being shown in position for holding a patient prior to being moved into the housin provided therefor.

Figure 2 is an end elevation.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged central, vertical, longitudinal section through the housing and showing the patient-supporting carriage in position there- Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section through a portion of one end of the housing and the carriage therein.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6, Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a section through one side portion of the housing and taken on the line 1-1, Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a View partly in section and partly in elevation showing the top latch of an end closure, the latch being illustrated in a released position.

Figure 9 is a view partly in longitudinal section and partly in'elevation of one of the rail couplings.

Figure 10 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of one end portion of one of the rails of the supplemental structure, the couplin pin being retracted.

Fig. 11 is a fragmental transverse sectional view, showing the communication that exists between certain pipes and the interior of the caserence, l designates a casing which can be of any suitable shape and size and of any mate-' rial desired. In the structure illustrated this casing is in the form of a cylindrical drum and it is preferred to make it of a transparent.ma terial, such as plastic but obviously it could be made angular and could be made of other mate rials. The casing is mounted in a supporting frame 2 having legs 3 designed to be mounted "on a floor or other supporting surface and, for the purpose of reenforcement, the frame can be ex tended around and in contact with the casingas shown. v

The frame also includes tubular side rails 4 extending longitudinally of the. apparatus and terminating adjacent to the ends of the casing. An additional tubular rail 5 is extended along the top of the frame and also terminates adjacent to the ends of the casing.

Sealing gaskets 6 are fitted on the ends of the casing wall and these. ends, which are open, are adapted to be closed by heads I each in the form of a large imperforate disk of light but strong. material. Fitted in the ends of the side rails are stems 8 projecting from disks 9 from which project knobs 0r heads l0. These disks are of such size as to lap the lower portions of the heads 1 while said heads are resting on the end portions of the side rails 4. If desired the stems 8 can be screw-threaded so as to permit tighte.

ening of the disks Qagainst the head i to insure a sealing contact between the heads and the gaskets 6. I

A pin II is mounted for longitudinal adjust ment within the upper tubular bar 5 at each end thereof and is provided at its outer end with a latch plate l2 adapted to extend downwardly so as to lap the adjacent head I. By pushing the pin inwardly this plate will bear tightly against the head. By rotating the pin the latch plate.

l2 can be swun upwardly out of head-lapping. position so that the head is thus releasedfor outward and upward moveemnt relative to the supporting rails 4.

It is to be understood that when the two heads are fastened tightly in position, they formsealing contacts with the gaskets so that it thus becomes possible to maintain desired airv pressures within the casing.

Secured within the casing upon the bottom thereof is av frame I3 carrying parallel rails IA which are preferably tubular. These rails are adapted to be engaged by and to support grooved.

wheels l5 journalled within and projecting below the frame I! of a carriage I8. This carriage is adapted to support a pad or mattress I9 on which a patient can be placed in a prone position although it is to be understood that under some conditions a patient could be supported in a sitting posture provided the casing is properly proportioned. I

Mounted on the casing are asuction pum 20 and a pressure pump 2|, the first pump, when operating, serving to extract air from the interior of the casing while the other pump operates to force air into the casing. The two pumps communicate With the interior of the casing through pipes 22 and 23 as shown. 7 For the purpose of indicating the pounds of pressure in the casing while in use, a barometer 24 is located in the wall of the casing. A valve inlet 25 is providedin the wall of the casing whereby a person outside of the apparatus can minutely regulate the flow of air into the casing to balance the suction pump and maintain a substantially uniform pressure in the casing. Another quick relief valve 26 can control the sudden fiow of air into or out of the casing for emergency use. Should it be desired to supply air under atmospheric pressure or oxygen in the housing, a mask 21 can be provided, there being separate flexible tubes 28 and 29 extending from this mask to nipples 30 and 3| respectively in the wall of the casing, these nipples having valves 32 and '33 whereby the flow of air or gas to and y from the mask can be regulated. For example if ordinary atmospheric airis to be breathed by the patient under treatment, the two valves 32 and 33 can be opened. However if oxygen is to be supplied, the oxygen tank will be connected to one of the nipples although both valves will be left open. Obviously a predetermined pressure can be maintained within the casing independently of the pressure of the gas supplied for breathing purposes.

In addition to the housing Or casing structure thus far described, there is provided a supplemental structure in the form of a frame 34 having parallel rails 35. When one of the heads I is removed from the casing, this frame is adapted to be set up with its rails 35 alining with the rails I4. A coupling pin 36 can be extended from each rail 35 for insertion into the adjacent rail l4 and thereafter the carriage can be pulled from housing I onto the rails 35 so that the patient to be treated canv be placed in a prone position thereon. The carriage can then be pushed back into the casing, frame 34 pulled away from the casing, and the heads I lowered onto the adjacent ends of the rails 4 between the gaskets'fi and the disks 9. By means of these disks and the plate I2, the'heads 1 can be held tightly against the gasket so as to seal the interior of the casing.

' Should the patient be equipped with the mask 21, air at normal pressure can be supplied to the mask through the tubes 28 and 29.. However if oxygen is to be supplied to the patient, an oxygen tank can be connected to oneof these tubes. These' tubes are located adjacent to that end of the casing through which the patient is to be moved and they are of such length that before the patient has been completely housed in the casing, the mask can be fitted to the patient and,

thereafter, as the patient is pushed into the cas- 7 the nipples 30 and 3|. Should the treatment require that the patient be subjected to a pressure more than atmospheric, the pressure pump 2| can be set in operation and obviously the pressure can be maintained at the predetermined point by manipulating the valve 25. Should a quick release of the air be desired, the valve 26 can be opened, this being a quick opening relief valve of any desired construction.

If the rails 35 are to be coupled to the rails 1, as heretofore described,. the pins 36 can be maintained at all times projected beyond rails 35 and can even be fixed therein. If desired, however, and as has been illustrated, the pins are slidably mounted. Thus instead of moving the rails 35 into the casing I as in Fig. 9, they can be left outside of the casing. With the pins 36 retracted as in Fig. 4, the closure 1 can'be placed in or removed from position. When the casing is open the pins 36 can be partly withdrawn from rails 35 so as to enter rails I4, thus bridging the gaps between the rails and providing a continu-.

ous track along which the carriage can move.

As the casing is provided with a removable head at each end, it becomes possible readily to clean the interior of the casing and maintain it in a sanitary condition. Furthermore, with this arrangement, it is possible, should it be found desirable to do so, to set up the supplemental structure adjacent to that end of the casing remote from the nipples 36 and 3!, coupling the supplemental frame to the rails I4 in the manner'heretofore explained sothat the carriage containing the patient can be rolled into the easing to move the patient head-first into position.

What is claimed is:

Treatment apparatus including a casing, a removable head at one end of the casing, the other end of the casing being open, rails secured within the casing and extending substantially from end to end thereof, a supplemental structure outside of the casing and adjacent to but spaced from the open end thereof, rails on the supplemental structure aligned with and spaced from the rails in the casing, said supplemental structure being supported independently of the casing, means carried by the rails on the supple mental structure and positioned for movement into engagement with the other rails, thereby to bridge the spaces between the aligned rails, a carriage movable along the railsandsaid bridgmg means for conveying a patient into or out of the casing, and a head insertible between the open end of the casing and the supplemental structure for closing the open end of the casing, said bridging means being shiftable from engagementwith the rails and the casing, thereby to provide aclearancefor the reception of said head When placed in closed position on the casing. UGUSTUS BURTON.- 

